The crypto world is no stranger to controversy, scandals, and drama. But in recent months, it has also witnessed a series of mysterious and tragic deaths among some of the most prominent crypto figures. Four crypto billionaires have died in the span of a month, sparking wild theories and speculation among the crypto community and beyond.
Who were these crypto billionaires, how did they die, and what are the possible explanations behind their deaths? We will get to know about it all today in this article.
Mysterious Back-to-back Deaths of Crypto Billionaires
Nikolai Mushegian
Mushegian, a 29-year-old co-founder of MakerDAO, a platform for crypto financing, and Dai, a decentralized stablecoin, is the first crypto billionaire on the list. He was also an early investor in Ethereum and Polkadot.
Mushegian was found dead on a Puerto Rican beach on Oct. 28, 2022, just hours after tweeting that intelligence agencies were after him. On October 28, 2022, at 4:57 a.m., he tweeted that the “pedo elite,” US intelligence agencies, and Israel’s intelligence services were planning to murder him.
He wrote: “CIA and Mossad and p*do elite are running some kind of s*x trafficking entrapment blackmail ring out of Puerto Rico and Caribbean islands. They are going to frame me with a laptop planted by my ex gf who was a sput. They will torture me to death.”
His death was ruled a drowning by the local authorities, but some crypto enthusiasts suspected foul play or even assassination. Some pointed out that Mushegian had recently donated $10 million to Puerto Rico’s independence movement, which could have angered the US government. Others suggested that he may have faked his own death to escape his enemies or start a new life. Mushegian was called “brilliant” and “visionary,” yet he was also labeled as paranoid.
Javier Biosca
Broker Javier Biosca’s death on Nov. 22, 2022, in Estepona, Spain, made him the second billionaire to pass away. Biosca was under investigation for the most prominent digital currency scam in Spain. He was accused of scamming over 4,000 investors out of more than $400 million through his platform, Algorithmics.
He established Algorithms Group in London in 2019 to serve small investors anxious to participate in the booming cryptocurrency market. The alleged Ponzi scam initially drew primarily regular individuals who were hoping to increase their life savings, then Biosca engaged a PR team to entice richer consumers. He was arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering, falsifying papers, and leading a criminal organization in March 2021 after several Algorithms Group clients submitted a complaint.
Biosca disappeared in July 2022, leaving behind a video message claiming that he had contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized in Switzerland. He also said that he had lost access to his crypto wallets and asked his clients for patience. However, many of his victims did not believe him and filed complaints against him.
His body was discovered in a hotel room by the cleaning staff. The cause of death was not disclosed, but some reports suggested that he may have committed suicide by overdosing on pills. His death raised questions about whether he had acted alone or had accomplices in his scheme.
Tiantian Kullander
The third crypto billionaire to die was Tiantian Kullander, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Amber Group, a Hong Kong-based crypto trading and asset management firm. He was also a former trader at Morgan Stanley and a graduate of MIT. On November 23, 2022, the co-founder of the digital asset business Amber Group in Hong Kong passed away in his sleep.
Kullander, often known as “TT,” started his career as a trader at Morgan Stanley and the Goldman Sachs Group. In 2017, he founded Amber Collection with a collection of seasoned financial professionals, including a few of his former Goldman and Morgan Stanley coworkers. After securing a $200 million fundraising round, the startup was valued at $3 billion. The Forbes 30 Under 30 list included Kullander in 2019.
The cause of death was not revealed, but some sources said that he had suffered from heart problems in the past. His death shocked the crypto community, as he was widely regarded as a brilliant and visionary leader.
Vyacheslav Taran
Vyacheslav Taran, the founder, and CEO of EXMO, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Eastern Europe, died on November 25, 2022, after his helicopter crashed in the vacation town of Villefranche-sur-Mer after departing from Lausanne, Switzerland. He was also an investor in several other crypto projects and a philanthropist.
He was traveling with his wife, Olga, and two other passengers, who also perished in the accident. The cause of the crash was not clear, but some reports said that it may have been due to bad weather or technical failure. Taran was described as a “billionaire crypto businessman with likely ties to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service” by the Ukrainian news source UNIAN, however, this assertion was made without any supporting documentation.
His death was mourned by the crypto community, especially in Ukraine and Russia, where he was a prominent figure. His company, EXMO, expressed its sorrow and gratitude to Taran for his vision and leadership.
Park Mo
Another crypto-related death that made headlines on December 30, 2022, was that of Park Mo, vice president of Vidente, the largest shareholder of the South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb.
He was found dead in front of his house in the early morning, with signs of head trauma. The police suspected that he may have fallen from the roof of his building, but did not rule out other possibilities. His death came amid a regulatory crackdown on crypto exchanges in South Korea, which required them to register with the authorities and comply with anti-money laundering rules. Some speculated that Park Mo may have faced pressure or threats from the regulators or other parties.
Conclusion
The back-to-back deaths of these crypto billionaires have raised many eyebrows and sparked many theories recently. Some have blamed the deaths on the billionaires’ past, while others suspected some form of foul play or even execution. Some have also speculated that they may not have actually died at all but faked their deaths to escape their troubles or start anew.
However, whether these deaths were coincidental or connected, they have left behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.
